"I am his son"... A man in his 50s deceives a dementia-stricken neighbor to use the internet for free

When the crime was discovered and an investigation began,
the perpetrator assaulted the victim in retaliation
Court sentences one year in prison, suspended for two years

A man in his 50s who pretended to be the son of a neighboring elderly person with dementia, applied for internet and TV services at his own home, causing financial damage, and assaulted the elderly man when caught, was sentenced to a suspended prison term.

The Criminal Division 1 of Wonju Branch of Chuncheon District Court announced on the 6th that A (57), who was indicted on charges of fraud and retaliatory injury under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, was sentenced to one year in prison with a two-year suspension, according to Yonhap News Agency. The court also ordered probation for A.

In December 24, 2022, A called a telecommunications company using the mobile phone of B, an elderly neighbor living in the same apartment, pretending to be B’s son or grandson, deceiving the company. Using this method, A was prosecuted for gaining benefits worth about 2 million won by opening internet and TV services at his own home.

Investigations revealed that A exploited B’s advanced age and dementia symptoms by telling B, “I will let you watch TV without paying,” and received B’s mobile phone to use paid communication services under B’s name.

Later, around December 2023, when B’s family discovered this and reported it to the police, A, who was under police investigation, held a grudge and assaulted B. At that time, A is accused of scratching B’s eyelid area with a sharp object and hitting him multiple times with his fists.

A denied the charge of causing injury for retaliation in court, but the court found him guilty based on B’s testimony, statements from the management office staff who witnessed B’s injuries, and testimonies from family members who usually cared for B. The court pointed out, “Despite having a history of multiple punishments for fraud, A did not repent and committed fraud again, and assaulted an elderly victim for retaliation, which is a very serious offense.”

However, the court explained, “Considering that A admitted to the fraud, that the retaliatory injury appears to be an impulsive act, and that he has no prior record of punishment exceeding a suspended sentence, the court imposed a suspended prison sentence with probation conditions.”